Favorite Memories

[Denny Crane]

I grew up in Chicago, but never went to a Bulls game. We had Hawks' tickets, so I did get to see a few hockey games, though.

The first NBA game I saw was in Baltimore - the Bullets and the Knicks. The star player for the Bullets was Earl Monroe, and the Knicks' star was Clyde Frazier. I also saw a Washington Senators baseball at RFK stadium, before the team moved to Texas.

I've had NBALP for years, and of course my Bulls' championship years had numerous great moments.

As for the Blazers, I remember watching them on TV a lot in the 70s when Walton led them to their championship. I remember UCLA was so dominant in college, thanks first to Kareem and then Walton. When Walton graduated, there were huge expectations for a decade of Kareem/Walton match ups. One of the most awesome SI covers was Walton guarding Kareem in their first meeting.

I remember Maurice Lucas in the ABA and then he joined the Blazers. He and Walton made the ultimate PF/C duo in history, IMO. Then there were guys like Gross and Twardzik and Hollins and Steele, who really complemented those two so well.

Back then, it seemed like teams would win 45 games and come in 2nd but go on to championships. Next season, they'd win 60 and not win the championship. Back to back seemed cursed.

What would you say are your favorite memories?

 

[Ed O]

1. When I was a kid, I was in the Memorial Coliseum down by the tunnel near the floor, looking at players on the floor, and Billy Ray Bates came out to warm up. He was EASILY the last player there, but when I yelled at him/asked him politely for an autograph, he stopped and signed something. Saying that the coach was gonna be mad that he was so late even as he signed. It wasn't about the article that he signed (a sweat band? a piece of paper? Whatever it was, it's long gone...) but just having that feeling of celebrity proximity. It was fun for me when I was a child.

2. I went to school near Chicago in the early-mid 90's, and I attended the regular season game in Chicago Stadium in 1992 (the year the two teams met in the Finals). I was a HUGE fan, and I was buddies with a bunch of guys who were not from Chicago but were entirely sick of the continuous Bulls hype, so three of them came with me and were honorary Blazers fans.

The Blazers played great in the first half, and we were really talking. I was not--and remain not--a trash talker, but the guys I was with made up for it. Bulls fans were getting jeered for having an overrated team. They were learning that Drexler was better than Jordan. Etc.

The second half was a different story. From what I remember Pippen and Ho Grant destroyed us and we ended up losing. My buddies and I were much more quiet in the second half... a disappointing loss (and a precursor of the Finals) but one of the best games I've ever been to in terms of the overall experience.

Ed O.

 

[tlongII]

About 5 or 6 years ago I sat courtside with a buddy who had his baby daughter with him. Of couse with the cute baby girl all of the Blazer Dancers gave us lots of attention. That was fun.

 

[MickZagger]

Tlong big pimpin with all these honeys. I'm seeing a side I never knew.

 

[THE HCP]

Standing room only @ the MC when I was a kid cheering for Clyde, TP and the boys!